What happened to Antonio Brown? Revisiting shocking Buccaneers exit, retirement rumors and pivot to rap career

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When Tom Brady took the field on Sept. 25, the Buccaneers quarterback was staring at a depleted receiving corps. Tampa Bay’s offensive unit struggled in a loss to Green Bay without Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Julio Jones.

It sure would have been nice for Brady to see a veteran target like, say, Antonio Brown.

The seven-time Pro Bowler was a key member of the 2020 Bucs team that defeated the Chiefs in Super Bowl 55. Brown re-signed with Tampa Bay ahead of the 2021 season, and then . . . everything went sideways.

What led to Brown’s sudden exit? And what is he doing now?

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Why did Antonio Brown leave the Buccaneers?

In the Buccaneers’ Week 17 game against the Jets last season, Brown removed his jersey and pads, jogged to the locker room and never returned to the field. Former Tampa Bay coach Bruce Arians told reporters after the Jan. 2 game that Brown would no longer be a member of the team, and the Bucs made Brown’s release official a few days later.

Brown’s meltdown came late in the third quarter with the Bucs facing a 24-10 deficit. He was visibly frustrated and got into a heated discussion with Evans. Despite his best efforts, Evans couldn’t bring down the temperature on the sideline.

In a shocking move, Brown removed his jersey and pads, and then ripped off his undershirt and gloves. He tossed his undershirt and gloves into the crowd before jogging across the field toward Tampa Bay’s locker room. He threw up a peace sign to the fans in attendance at MetLife Stadium and disappeared into the tunnel.

Antonio Brown just kinda left pic.twitter.com/iXazJLx81x

— Rivers McCown (@riversmccown) January 2, 2022

Antonio Brown just took jersey and gear off and threw it into crowd. Celebrating and ran to the locker room. No idea what is going on. pic.twitter.com/uPALqGJGJo

— Jake Brown (@JakeBrownRadio) January 2, 2022

Brown later claimed he was “cut” by the Buccaneers because he refused to play with an ankle injury. In a statement released through his attorney, Brown said Arians ordered him to take the field, and when he told Arians he wasn’t able to play with the injury, Arians replied, “You’re done!”

“I know we were losing to the Jets and that was frustrating for all of us. But I could not make football plays on that ankle,” Brown said. “Yes, I walked off the field. But there’s a major difference between launching from the line and taking hits, compared to jogging off the field with a rush of emotions going through your mind. I am reflecting on my reaction, but there was a trigger.

“The trigger was someone telling me that I’m not allowed to feel pain. I acknowledge my past. But my past does not make me a second-class citizen. My past does not forfeit my right to be heard when I am in pain.”

The Bucs acknowledged Brown did receive treatment on his ankle and was listed on the injury report during the week, but they asserted he was cleared to play. They also said Brown never indicated to the medical staff he could not play.

“At no point in time during that game did [Brown] ever ask the trainer or doctor about his ankle. He never went through — that’s the normal protocol,” Arians said. “You go through protocols during games. I was never notified of it.”

Bruce Arians speaks to the media following the release of Antonio Brown. pic.twitter.com/HMYir6rhX9

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) January 6, 2022

The Bucs released a statement on Jan. 6, saying that they had “terminated” Brown’s contract.

“We have attempted, multiple times throughout this week, to schedule an evaluation by an outside orthopedic specialist, yet Antonio has not complied,” the team’s statement said. “Maintaining the health and wellness of our players is of the utmost importance to our organization.”

Did Antonio Brown retire?

In the aftermath of the incident and his release, Brown said he planned to undergo surgery on his ankle and play again during the 2022 season.

“Once my surgery is complete, I’ll be back to 100 percent and looking forward to next season,” Brown said in the statement released through his attorney. “Business gonna be boomin’!”

Back in May, Brown tweeted that he eventually wanted to retire as a member of the Steelers, the franchise that selected him in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He made it clear that the move would be purely ceremonial; he wasn’t interested in wearing the black and gold jersey again.

Later that month, Brown made an appearance on a Fan Controlled Football broadcast, telling Charly Arnolt that he had no plans to play in 2022 and hinting that his football career may be over.

“Obviously, you know, we live the game, but you can’t play forever,” Brown said. “I think I’m a great player that’s done everything in the game.”

What is Antonio Brown doing now?

Brown has been staying busy since he departed Tampa. He announced that he had joined Kanye West’s Donda Sports organization in February, and he released a rap album, “Paradigm,” in April. 

His rap career has taken off quickly. He has already worked with high-profile artists such as DaBaby, French Montana and Young Thug. His finger-pointing dance to “Put That S— On,” one of the songs on “Paradigm,” has gone viral recently.

Brown regularly shares clips of athletes performing their own versions of the dance on his social media feeds. Even his former coach, Mike Tomlin, got in on the action after the Steelers’ Week 1 win over the Bengals.

“I do what I want,” Brown told Arnolt. “Obviously I’m a 12-year veteran, one of the best players of all time, and my job is to live. Life is about living. We’re all gonna die. . . .

“Obviously, I’m a rapper. I do shows. I’m an independent businessman. Business [is] booming.”

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